Friday, July 22, 2005

I have a theory, it will never be proved or disproved I think, but it is interesting to me never the less.

When I point out that Sufism as we know it today is an Islamic tradition someone always pops up with the old "Sufism existed before Islam" rant (and it is almost always a rant for some reason).

What these people never seem to notice is that no one, least of all me, denys that Sufism existed before Islam. What I do point out is that Sufism at the time of the Prophet (saws), was collected in him, and that other streams of Sufi thought had died out. So it does not matter if there was Sufism before Islam because at the time of the Prophet (saws) Allah hit the "reset switch" on Sufism because the tradition had been all but wiped out. So while one may find interesting historical fragments of pre-Islamic Sufism, the living tradition will not be found.

The ranters use the idea that Sufism existed before Islam as a justification for trying to take small bits and pieces of the Tradition without the Islamic "glue" that holds it all together and makes it work. What they fail to realize is that Sufism is more than a groups of techniques, or a "spiritual psychology".

Without the fundamental connection to the Source that real Sufism provides, the techniques are of very limited value. That connection is found only in the lineage of Khalifas to the Prophet Muhammad (saws) during this period of time. Before the Prophet (saws) the Baraka of the Path was found with Isa (as) and his Khalifas, before that with Musa (as) and his Khalifas, and before that with Ibrahim (as) who brought it with him out of Sumer (Ur) and passed it to his Khalifas.

The study of Isa (Jesus) and what happened to his mission can shed a little light on how the Tradition manifests and how it is lost. That is because though the events happened 2000 years ago they were very public. As my Shaykh says, "Jesus taught Sufism publicly to everyone rather than to just his inner circle".

So if this was the case, what happened to turn the teachings of Jesus (as) into Christianity?

My take on it is that some of the other students could not deal with Isa's Khalifa, who I think was Mary Magdalene who is called the Apostle to the apostles and who is very likely the "Beloved Disciple" referred to in the Gospels.

I think that there is enough existent evidance to support my theory, though as I said it will always remain just that.

According to the ancient tradition of the East, Mary Magdalene was a wealthy woman from whom Christ expelled seven demons. The account of this can be found in the Gospel of Luke.

I find that interesting, seven demons, or seven unclean spirits, or perhaps seven Nafs. I have always wondered if this passage actually referred to initiation rather than exorcism.

There is an interesting suggestion that She, and not John was the founder of the Johannine Community and possibly even the original author of the Gospel of John.

But one thing seems clear from reading the existent literature, that was a great deal of stress between the Tradition as represented by Mary and some of the other disciples, most notably Peter.

I suspect that it was this stress that made the room for Paul to come in and hijack the Teachings of Jesus for his Christianity.

To give you an example of what I am talking about I have appended the fragment we still have of the Gospel of Mary.

So my take is that Mary Magdalene was the rightful spiritual successor to Jesus, his Khalifa. And the fact that the egos of some of the Male disciples could not deal with this fact help to wipe out the Sufism that she taught.

But then again, it is just a thought

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene

(pp.1-6 missing) will matter then be [destroyed] or not?" The Savior said, "All natures, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots.

For the nature of matter is resolved into (the roots of) its nature alone. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Peter said to him, "Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world?" The Savior said, "There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called 'sin.' That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature, in order to restore it to its root." Then he continued and said, "That is why you [become sick] and die, for [...] of the one who [...He who] understands, let him understand.

[Matter gave birth to] a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from (something) contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in the whole body. That is why I said to you, 'Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged (be) encouraged in the presence of When the blessed one had said this, he greeted them all, saying, "Peace be with you. Receive my peace to yourselves. Beware that no one lead you astray, saying, 'Lo here!' or 'Lo there!' For the Son of Man is within you. Follow after him! Those who seek him will find him. Go then and preach the gospel of the kingdom. Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed for you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it." When he had said this, he departed.

But they were grieved. They wept greatly, saying, "How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?" Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, "Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for his grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. But rather let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us (and) made us into men."

When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the [Savior].Peter said to Mary, "Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of women. Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember--which you know (but) we do not nor have we heard them."

Mary answered and said, "What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you." And she began to speak to them these words: "I," she said, "I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to him, 'Lord, I saw you today in a vision,' He answered and said to me, 'Blessed are you, that you did not waver at the sight of me. For where the mind is, there is the treasure.' I said to him, 'Lord, now does he who sees the vision see it {through} the soul {or} through the spirit?'

The Savior answered and said, 'He does not see through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind which [is] between the two--that is [what] sees the vision and it is [...].' (pp.11-14 missing) ..."And desire said, "I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending. WHy do you lie, since you belong to me?"

The soul answered and said, "I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment, and you did no know me." When it had said this, it went away rejoicing greatly. "Again it came to the third power, which is called ignorance.

It (the power) questioned the soul, saying, "Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound. But you are bound; do not judge!" And the soul said, "Why do you judge me, although I have not judged?" I was bound, though I have not bound. I was not recognized. But I have recognized that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly (things) an the heavenly."

" When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, (which) took seven forms. The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom.

These are the seven {powers} of wrath. They ask the soul, "Whence do you come, slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?" The soul answered and said, "What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome, an my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died. In a (world) I was released from a world, and in a type from a heavenly type, and from the fetter of oblivion which is transient. From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence."

When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her. But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, "Say what you (wish to) say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas." Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. He questioned them about the Savior: "Did he really speak privately with a woman (and) not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us?"

Then Mary wept and said to Peter, "My brother Peter, what do you think? DO you think that I thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Savior?"

Levi answered and said to Peter, "Peter, you have always been hot-tempered. Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. That is why he loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect man, and separate as he commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said." When [...]and they began to go forth [to] proclaim and to preach.

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I am no one important. I am just a teacher of an obscure martial art that most people have never heard of.
I have however, been around for a very long time, and I have managed to survive any number of interesting situations. I am told by my peers that I am pretty good at what I do, and that I may have a few useful thoughts rolling around in my head.
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